1.65 crore COVID vaccine doses allocated to States & UTs ahead of vaccine drive

Ahead of the highly-anticipated COVID-19 vaccination drive from January 16, the full initial procurement amount of 1.65 crore doses of Covishield and Covaxin vaccines has been allocated to all States/UTs on Wednesday. This amount has been decided in proportion with the Health Care Workers database, who are first in line to get innoculated. 

Yesterday, the first batch of Covishield from Pune's Serum Institue of India (SII) reached 13 Cities. Air India, SpiceJet, and IndiGo Airlines operated 9 flights with the vaccines ahead of the nationwide vaccination drive. Today, vaccine consignments from Bharat Biotech in Hyderabad was transported to 11 cities finishing a major phase of the pre-vaccination drive successfully.

Read: TMC Minister's Farm Laws Protest Blocks Highway; Forces Covid Vaccine Van To Be Diverted

Read: Centre Officially Places Order With SII For 'COVISHIELD'; Cost Fixed At Rs 200 Per Dose

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch the world's biggest vaccination drive virtually on January 16. The first phase of vaccination will be free and the Centre will bear the cost of vaccines which will be injected to 3 crore frontline warriors. PM Modi will also be launching the CoWIN application on the same day. Around one crore beneficiaries are already registered in the app. 

"It is most important to identify and vaccinate those who are vulnerable - hence we have created the CoWIN app. The beneficiary will be registered as per Aadhar card. CoWIN will generate a digital certificate after the first vaccine dose. This will help as a reminder for the 2nd dosage and help in knowing who has been vaccinated. The final certificate will be given after the 2nd dose," said the PM. 

On January 3, Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) had approved Serum Insititute's 'Covishield' for emergency use, along with Bharat Biotech's 'Covaxin'. The nod by India came days after United Kingdom's approval to Oxford-AstraZeneca's Coronavirus Vaccine which is being manufactured and marketed in India by Serum Institute under the name Covishield.

Aiming to vaccinate 3 crore frontline workers in the first phase, PM Modi has announced that apart from health workers sanitation workers, defence forces, Police and other paramilitary forces will also be vaccinated as a part of the first phase. 

Read: PM Modi Assures 'Centre To Bear Cost Of 3 Cr Health Workers' Vaccination'; Launches Co-WIN

Read:PM Modi To Virtually Launch Largest Vaccination Drive Along With CoWIN App On January 16